Worker's
Rights, The Current Situation…
Over the past few years
we've seen a radical shift in the legislation and policies that govern much of
the labor environment in the United
States.
Some states have seen more change than others, but on the whole there
has been a significant amount of alteration in this area. Most of the changes have pushed the labor
environment to the right, some in very drastic ways. The rationale for the changes, or
"reforms", is that they are supposed to revive, restore or otherwise
save some aspect of our economy. In
addition we are seeing the "reforms" touted as a return to our
"roots" where freedom is allowed to thrive.
Republicans enjoyed
tremendous success at the state and local levels in the election of 2010 and gained the power to
make changes that would implement their ideas of limiting the power of
organized labor, cutting back on protective regulations and expanding the power
of business in general. They were able
to gain control of all branches of government in some states, like Wisconsin, and this
allowed them virtually unlimited abilities to implement
"reforms". In most cases, once
again very visibly in Wisconsin,
they did so without much effort to compromise or to work in a bi-partisan
manner. Instead, they relied on their
power as the majority party to simply force their legislation and policy
changes through.
Labor responded, and
continues to respond, in virtually every manner possible short of a general
strike. Wisconsin's public sector workers led the
way in February of 2011. We saw efforts
to resist the "reform movement" of the GOP in other states as
well. Workers took to the streets,
engaged in political action (recalls and referenda), challenged laws in courts
and used other methods to try and defend the gains made by labor over many
generations of struggles.
In some places the tide of
"reform" was slowed or even halted.
Who can forget the strong victory for labor in Ohio, as voters rejected the anti-labor
legislation in overwhelming numbers.
Wisconsin fought constant political battles for over a year
as multiple state senators, and ultimately Governor Walker, faced recalls. The controversial anti-labor legislation, Act
10, is now tied up in court with some of the aspects of the bill currently
ruled unconstitutional.
Along with the successes
that labor enjoyed came setbacks. Michigan passed Right to
Work legislation quickly and behind locked doors. Republicans continued to use their political
power to implement policy changes in states where they have majorities. Often these are done through administrative
procedures or by appointing anti-labor individuals to key policy making
positions.
The end results of about 2
years of intense conflict are difficult to assess. On one hand it is clear that labor faces an
increasingly unfriendly environment.
Conservatives have effectively utilized propaganda and the media to
paint organized labor in a negative light.
The GOP's control of many state governments allows them to impose their
ideas on the people they "represent".
These are truly discouraging times for supporters of worker's
rights. However, the picture is not
without hope. Labor has won victories
and has been able to maintain their presence in the debate. The visible assaults on organized labor has galvanized
support, increased membership's participation and reinvigorated a labor
movement that was stagnating in many ways.
Nowhere is this more
evident than in Wisconsin. The events of February and legislation like
Act 10 had an immediate impact on workers in the state. Many school systems and municipalities now
operate with handbooks (or similar documents) instead of contracts. These places are seeing the impact of what Governor
Walker and his supporters want our workplaces to look like. Act 10 shifted the balance of power almost
entirely to management. The law allowed
municipalities and school boards to set policy and working conditions virtually
unilaterally.
Yet, at the same time the
labor movement here in Wisconsin
hasn't been more active for many years.
In fact it is the actions of the workers over the past two years that is
slowing the tide of "reform".
Because of the strong response by Wisconsin's
workers, GOP leadership is reluctant to take on issues like Right to Work. We are also seeing labor organizing and
looking for ways to build for the future under the restrictions that have been
imposed on them.
One of the ways that labor
is fighting back is by educating the public and informing their membership
about the effects that conservative labor "reforms" can have on our
economic futures. Conservatives would
have us believe that by giving management control of the workplace, the economy
will automatically improve. However, the
results of their "reforms" isn't as clear cut as they would like us
to believe.
One example of this is the
Right to Work legislation that conservatives value so highly.
The struggle is nowhere
near to being finished. The most recent
news from the Federal Courts isn't positive for labor, but we still have a
successful injunction against Act 10 in the Wisconsin Judicial System.
WEAC v Walker -- 7th Circuit Decision.pdf
Worker's
Rights, Civil Rights, Human Rights…
As we prepare to celebrate
Martin Luther King Jr.'s life and legacy it is important to remember that
worker's rights were a big part of King's message. He recognized the value of labor unions and
saw worker's rights to organize as vitally important to achieving a more
equitable society. The Civil Rights
Movement and the struggle for worker's rights are intertwined throughout
history and we must remember that as we work to promote a more socially just
society. Worker's rights provide a
unifying cause that almost all citizens, no matter what demographic group they
are a part of, can unite behind. Most of
us are workers in some way, shape or form and our support for each other is
vital to the continuing success of our society and our economy.
We often hear the
arguments made that civil rights protections are no longer needed, or that
labor unions are obsolete. Some would
have us believe that, while those things were needed in the past when there was
widespread discrimination and horrific working conditions, our society has
become so fair and just that everyone can enjoy equal opportunity in a market free
of regulation. Ironically, these are
often the same people who say that Marx, and other similar thinkers, was
misguided because human nature calls for people to try and rise above
others. If Socialism and Communism won't
work because of human nature, how can Capitalism or free market ideologies ever
produce a fair and just society. This
gets at the heart of the differences between progressives and
conservatives. Progressives look to
build a society for the good of all, while conservatives look to build a
society where some can thrive and everyone competes to be one of the successful
few.
In a perfect world we
wouldn't need civil rights laws, we wouldn't need protections for workers, in
fact we wouldn't need most of the legislation and policies that we currently
have. Everyone would look out for each
other and treat each other fairly no matter what their demographic group might
be. For conservatives this world is
governed by a free market, unfettered by troublesome restrictions. Those who support this view have forgotten
their history and are ignoring the current realities of our world socially,
politically and economically. In a free
market, everyone looks out for themselves, and those with more power can do so
much more effectively than those with less power. Over time power consolidates and we see the
stratification of society and the end of that society's ability to claim to be free
and equal.
There will always be a
struggle between groups of people trying to make their voices heard. Dr. King spoke eloquently about the
continuing struggle and portrayed the different struggles as parts of the same
larger conflict. Those who follow his
thinking and see him as a role model are working to do the same thing today. As so many signs at the capitol in Madison stated,
"Worker's rights are human rights!"
We can't allow ourselves to fragment and be divided in the quest for a
socially just society.
State
of Our State…
Tuesday brought us the
much anticipated (for a variety of reasons, positive and negative) State of the
State Address given by Governor Walker.
Like or dislike the Governor, it is clear that he is a polarizing figure
who has split our state into separate, hostile camps. That may be the most disturbing stamp that
his administration has placed on Wisconsin.
While claiming to be
trying to steer clear of controversy, Walker
clearly has a couple of items on his administration's agenda that will fail to
achieve this goal. The proposed mining
legislation will stir up a storm of conflicting data and emotions and will pit
two conflicting economic, social and ecological outlooks.
Education
"reform" will also be a source of bitter conflict during the upcoming
year as conservatives attempt to expand privatization and use their power
generated by Act 10 to dismantle public education in Wisconsin.
News & Publications | Wisconsin Education Association
Council > WEAC statement on the State of the S
Another aspect of the
conflict that is cause for concern is the reshaping of our political maps by
GOP legislative majorities in many states.
This means that the Republicans will be able to maintain their advantage
in these decision making bodies even if they aren't able to garner a majority
of the vote. It is true at the
local/state level as well as the national level. It is disturbing because it creates a
situation where the voice of the majority is silenced and we are faced with
potentially permanent domination by one party.
Unions
in 2013, Organizing for the Future…
It seems quite clear that
the far Right has taken firm control of the Republican Party in Wisconsin. The agenda proposed by the Walker administration and Republicans in the
legislature pushes our state farther to the right than it has been in a long
time. At the same time the Democratic
Party has not proven their ability to counter the power exercised by the
GOP. It has taken grassroots
organizations, often powered by union members, to resist the efforts of the GOP
to expand their power here.
The power of unions was
made clear during the protests of 2011 and the subsequent recall efforts. Unions provided the people power and the
organizing ability to help make these actions possible. Now however, unions are facing a tough test
of their ability to survive and need to find ways to be effective under new and
harsh legislation and regulation. Just
when our need for organized labor is at its highest, it faces restrictions that
impair the ability of workers to organize and effectively represent their interests.
We are not without
hope. There are a number of ways that
unions can continue to have an impact socially, politically and economically.
Reach Out and Communicate- Unions are a collection of individuals operating
for a common interest. Without
communication it is difficult to maintain an organization that has seen its
ability to negotiate for and represent its membership decrease in recent
days. Members need to have a stream of
information that keeps them connected with their peers and with the efforts of
other groups to promote the rights of workers.
The best way to communicate is to take the time to speak face to face
with individual members. Union leaders,
or stewards, need to be visible and communicate directly with the
membership. This takes time and effort,
but the rewards are significant.
Unions must also reach out
beyond their membership to communicate with the communities they live and work
in. An example of this is a group of
parents, educators and other community members that has formed at my school. We meet regularly and discuss issues around
public education and how to have a positive impact on the policies enacted in
our school district. By communicating
with those outside of our unions we are able to share ideas and build support
for our efforts, while connecting with and supporting our communities as
well. Respect and trust is built between
groups and the best interests of the community can be advanced.
Build From Within- Unions must retain their membership and look for
ways to expand the number of employees they represent. A union's strength is its members and their
collective support of the organization.
Every potential member is another source of power for unions.
Maintain Their Organizational Structure- It might be tempting to reduce staff or to cut back
on other aspects of a union's organization, but unions need to maintain what
they have in the face of the current challenges. I have seen the amazing ability of union
staff to organize efforts quickly when needed.
The "infrastructure" of a union is crucial to our efforts to
mobilize support and collective actions of members. If this "infrastructure" is allowed
to erode, the efforts of union members will be less effective in the
future.
Find New Ways to Promote the Interests of Their
Membership- Depending on the
current state (or lack) of a collective bargaining agreement, unions may be
severely restricted in their ability to negotiate for members' wages, benefits
or working conditions. In addition we
have seen how legislation can cause a union to be cautious in challenging
administrations or management. Yet, the
need for unions is great and unions must find other ways to represent their
membership if the traditional ways are not as readily available. Now is the time for unions to look for creative
ways to advance their goals and also to look for allies wherever they may be
found.
Buy
Local…
One
of the challenges to spending money on products, and at stores, that promote
progressive values is that so many companies are owned by staunch conservatives. A CEO may make a statement or implement a
company policy that undermines worker's rights, or promotes an agenda that we
oppose, but the local businesses that are part of the franchise are the ones
that suffer for the words/acts of the leadership. This restricts the spending options for
progressive shoppers and also harms local economies. It's the same old story, where the wealthy
are not impacted as severely by their words/deeds as those farther down the
chain.
Here's an example of a CEO
making some strong statements, but there are many other similar situations that
have happened recently. The statements
of the CEO draw national attention and are easy to spot. What is more difficult to uncover is what the
management and staff at the local businesses feel about what their leadership
says. In some cases the employees and
management at the local level is in agreement with their leadership, but in
others they are more interested in their continued employment than in making a
political/social/economic statement.
